Australian War Memorial Digitisation project – Seeking copyright holders

The Australian War Memorial is currently undertaking a four-year digitisation project, running from 2018 to 2022. The project aims to digitise collection items at risk of deterioration, including paper records, film, audio, and images in many media. This process will help preserve the original items, and enable the collection to be more broadly available to researchers in future.

As part of this project, the Memorial is seeking copyright permission to publish the collections listed below.  If are you are a copyright holder, a relation or descendant of the person named, please contact the Memorial via email on Digitised.Collections@awm.gov.au

Sir Horace Clement Hugh “Red Robbie” Robertson, (1894–1960)

Sir Horace Robertson was born in Warrnambool, Victoria on 29 October 1894 to John Robertson and Anne Robertson née Grey. He married Jessie Bonnar in 1914 before enlisting for service in the First World War. Horace served with the 10th Light Horse Regiment in Gallipoli, Sinai and Palestine. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1917 and served at the Australian Imperial Force Headquarters in Cairo during the last months of the war.

Horace enlisted in the Second World War on 20 April 1940. He commanded the 19th Brigade in the Libyan campaign and was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1941. He returned to Australia and took command of the 1st Armoured Division in April 1942 and the III Corps in April 1944. In 1945, Horace commanded the 5th Division in New Britain and was transferred to the 6th Division in July 1945.

In June 1946, Horace was placed in command of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. He was made a Knight of the British Empire (KBE) in 1950 and was appointed commander-in-chief of the British Commonwealth Forces Korea during the Korean War. Horace returned to Australia in November 1951 and became the Director General of Recruiting. He retired from the army on 30 October 1954.

Sir Horace Robertson passed away on 28 April 1960 and was buried with his wife Jessie Robertson in the Springvale Cemetery, Victoria. Horace and Jessie did not have any children.

Horace’s family members include:

• Reverend John (Jack) Gray Robertson (Horace’s brother)
• William Robertson (Horace’s brother)
• Jean Gray (Robertson) James (Horace’s sister)
• Grace Lindsay Robertson (Horace’s sister)
• Helen Leonora May (Horace’s sister)
• James Horace Gray Stevenson (Horace’s nephew)
• Robert Geoffrey O’Shea (the brother-in-law of Horace’s nephew James Horace Gray Stevenson)
• Peter Stevenson (Horace’s great nephew).

The Memorial holds a copy of official and personal correspondence and papers relating to Horace’s service in the Second World War and his postwar career.

If you are related to Sir Horace Robertson or in contact with his descendants, please contact the Memorial via email on Digitised.Collections@awm.gov.au.

Collection Number: PR87/167

Major General Charles Henry Brand, 4 September 1873–31 July 1961

Charles Henry Brand was born in Ipswich, Queensland on 4 September 1873 to Charles Hayman Brand and Elizabeth née Elliott. He served in the Boer War as a sergeant with the 3rd Queensland (Mounted Infantry) Contingent. Charles taught as a school teacher  in 1903 and 1904, before permanently joining the military forces in 1905.

Charles enlisted in the First World War on 15 August 1914 as a major with the 3rd Infantry Battalion. He served at Gallipoli, France and Belgium, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) before returning to Australia on 21 December 1918.

After the war, Charles continued to serve with the Australian Military Forces. He retired from the military in 1933 at the rank of major general. From 1934 to 1947, Charles held the Victorian Senate seat for the United Australia Party.

Charles married Ella Arline Armstrong in 1906 in Bondi, NSW. They had two daughters: Phyllis Leonie Brand (1914–2006) and Lorna Eileen Mason (1907–1994).

Charles passed away on 31 July 1961 in Toorak, Victoria; Ella passed away on 25 September 1975.

The Memorial corresponded with Charles’ daughter, Phyllis Brand, in 2001. The late Phyllis Brand stated that she was the only surviving Brand family member.

The Memorial holds a letter of congratulations from Major General Charles Henry Brand to Sir Horace Robertson.

If you are related to Charles Henry Brand, are in contact with the people named here or Mr Brand’s descendants, please contact the Memorial via email on Digitised.Collections@awm.gov.au

Collection number: PR87/167